DIVA OFF!
by MissDelainie
Summary: This is the story of two self-proclaimed 'diva's'. Indie rocker Taylor Hanson, of the band HANSON and Broadway hopeful, Rachel Berry  GLEE . Watch what happens when their world's collide and love gets in the way of their dreams.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Audition Tapes?**

**(Rachel Berry's Story)**

NYU

Girls' Dorm

Room: 216

Time: 12:00 pm

Friday

The task was simple. Fill out a form with your name, age, high school/college and why you wanted to be on _DIVA OFF!._ You also had to send in an audition tape with an original song by the weekend. Was it that hard? For Rachel Berry, it was. Sure, singing in front of a camera or the mirror for that matter, was simple. But not when she was going to enter the most watched TV Reality program since American Idol. There were going to be 15 competitors living in one house for a month and a half, working on songs and dances as well as being filmed for the 'diva' like antics. It was supposed to be a great concept, pairing different self proclaimed divas from all sorts of places. But to Rachel, this wasn't going to be easy. In high school, her Glee Club always complained that she was so catty and such a diva that sometimes she shut down and didn't show off her true talents.

Rachel reached for the application that was on her desk and studied it. She had a day to figure this out and hadn't even started the application. Taking her favorite pink pen with the little stars on it, she began writing in her beautiful script:

Name: Rachel Berry

Age: 20

High School you attended: McKinley High School. Lima, Ohio.

College: University Of New York City

Why do you want to be on DIVA OFF!:

She left that part blank. Aside from choosing the original song to submit as a video, Rachel couldn't think of any good reasons why she wanted to be on the show. There were so many: To get a record deal, to win the prize money to give her two dads a great vacation or to be able to get over her fear of the stage. All these things piled up in her mind as to why she should be on that show. But putting it into words was going to be much harder. Rachel never really had a knack for writing essays, reports, or even short stories. She was more into performing things written on a page like musical numbers than such stories.

Looking at her pink digital clock that was on her nightstand in her tiny dorm room, she noticed it was 12:30. That meant she was ten minutes late. Ten minutes late in meeting her best friend, Kurt Hummel, for coffee on the quad, to discuss her audition piece. She hadn't seen Kurt all week due to the fact that he was busy with his new role as director in the all-male off Broadway version of RENT.

She hurried out, locking the door behind her and ran to the quad. She noticed Kurt sitting at a small table, looking over director's notes.

"Oh my goodness, Kurt! I'm so sorry for being late! I was so wrapped up in picking a song for the audition tape that I lost track of time," she sat in the empty chair and threw her bag onto the sidewalk.

"It's ok, Rach. I haven't been here long anyways. I got you a soy latte with cinnamon. So, what's up? Having troubles still?"

"Thank you," Rachel sipped her latte, "And yes I am. I can't think of one reason why I would want to be on the show, but I do however have a song picked out."

"Oh you do? Let me guess, something exceptionally grand from Wicked?" Kurt smirked at Rachel and touched her hand. Years ago, when both Rachel and Kurt were in Glee Club together, they never seemed to get along. Both of them recognized each other as the group's 'divas', so every once and a while they'd have little competitions to get the solos, hoping that one of them would be recognized for their talents. It wasn't until near their senior year and after Nationals that they became really close, best friends even. Together, Rachel and Kurt helped each other get into the best college in New York so that they would fulfill the dreams of Broadway that they had always imagined. And now, they were sophomores in college, tackling their dreams of becoming stars.

"Not quite. I was thinking of doing the one I wrote. For Mr. Schue's assignment on original songs, but I'm not really sure how to approach it. You know me, Kurt. The stage is like my second home and I loved performing with the Glee Club. But the idea of performing in front of judges, by myself, is sort of scary."

"Who are you and what have you done with Rachel Berry?" Kurt laughed, "Girl, it will be fine. Trust me. I'll help you even. When you make it onto the show, I will be your personal life line. Now, tell me, what have you written for the essay part? Any thoughts as to why you want to be on the show?"

Rachel looked around, taking in the sights of the people. It was Friday, so the quad was beginning to become less crowded due to the fact that people were going to either their next classes or home for the weekend. Kurt and Rachel rarely went home for the weekend because they would rather take in the sights of New York with either a play or some sort of jazz show. She didn't have many friends, except for Kurt of course, at this school, so sometimes she felt alone there. Her roommate, Esther, was a strange, Southern girl who wore cowboy boots and weird clothes and they rarely talked. But then again, Rachel was considered 'weird' too.

"I'm still the same Rachel you know and admire, just very confused and scared. If by chance I get selected, I may have to fly to California for months while the show tapes. I've never been away for that long. Heck, even moving here was tough for me," Rachel twisted a strand of her perfect brown hair, "I just….I don't know what to do. Which is why I am coming to my fellow diva, you. Please Kurt, come with me. You'd totally win them over with your sass."

"Rach, you know I can't leave in the middle of my fabulous all male rendition of RENT. It took me months just to get the department to approve it. And Blaine is making a special appearance as Roger. You know he never gets to visit here."  
>"I know, I know. I understand. Just, if I make it that far, will you be there for me? For support? I'm not sure I know what I'm getting myself into just yet." Rachel smiled a half smile hoping it would convince Kurt. And she was also hoping that he'd pack everything and go with her. But, that wasn't going to happen.<p>

"Oh honey," Kurt touched Rachel's hand, "You will be fine. We can skype everyday and you'll be on in a huge house, making new friends. I hear the show is like the Real World meets American Idol. You'll meet a lot of divas just like you." He smiled and got up from his chair, his Burberry bag in hand. Rachel followed and they started walking.

"I don't even know if I'll make it yet…" her voice trailed off. Why was she so nervous? She had always been able to sing infront of anyone. What was the problem this time? Was it because for the first time since she had left Lima for New York , she would have to pack a go to Los Angeles for a month while taping?

"You'll make it. I promise. And I will be here for you during the show and when you get back. Ok? Kurt put his arm around Rachel and hugged her, "You'll be the best diva on that show. Second to me of course." Rachel laughed at his comment. Maybe her best friend was right. Maybe she was really going to great and the best diva she knew how to be.

The day was slowly coming to an end and all Rachel was doing was staring at the application again. Staring at the same blank page that she had started earlier, the one she had to turn in for the competition. After standing in her dorm room describing her life for the video camera that Kurt had shoved into her face for four hours previously, she realized she still needed to write the essay. Once the video was finished, Kurt offered to make it into copies in the AV room of the college. That was four hours ago. And now, here she was, sitting in her desk chair, with a wild case of writer's block.

This wasn't going to be easy, she thought as she continued to think of reasons why she wanted this so bad. After talking with Kurt, she was reminded as to why she loved singing. Singing made her feel free, made her feel alive. That's what she was going to write. And with that thought, she looked at the clock seeing that it was close to almost midnight and began writing her essay. And she wasn't going to stop until it was perfect. She began typing furiously.

"Rachel? Rachel? Wake up. You slept through your alarm. Come on, you need to get to the post office before it closes. Rachel!" Rachel awoke the next morning to find herself sprawled on her bed, wearing the same clothes she had worn the day before, her long brown hair in a tangled ponytail. It was eleven thirty, she had fallen asleep after she had finished her essay. And now, she wasn't sure if she'd make it in time.

"Oh my gosh! I must have fallen asleep! Do you have the tape? Where's my essay?" She pulled herself together and ran a brush through her hair. Now was not the time to freak out, but since she had slept through her alarm, she was in freak out mode. This behavior was not like Rachel at all, but since it was crunch time right now, she was going crazy.

"Hot mess alert. Here, put this sweatshirt on and lets go." Kurt threw a sweatshirt at Rachel and they hurried out of the dorms to the nearest post office. Kurt handed her the tapes and her envelope of the essay and audition papers. She labeled it and handed it to the mail man.

"Well," she turned to Kurt and smiled, "Here goes nothing."

**The Practical Joke That Didn't Go As Planned**

**(Taylor Hanson's Story)**

Chicago, IL

HOB

Time: 10:30 pm

Saturday

"Thank you everyone! You've been an awesome crowd tonight!" The crowd was still going crazy after the music had stopped. The energy level was higher than normal and his adrenaline level was sky rocketing. Chicago crowds were always the best ones because they always seemed to be one big party. However, any crowd on a normal night was fantastic. It was the last show of the tour and what way to end it was a great crowd and rocking set. Even ending with the song "In the City", the crowd was jumping and cheering along. It was great.

Taylor Hanson ran his fingers through his thick dirty blonde hair and took a small bow. Waving to the crowd, he started to head off the stage. Before he could totally exit, he heard his older brother, Isaac, call his name into the microphone. He turned back around and came back onstage, giving his brother a rather strange look. Normally, they would do the traditional bow and wave at the crowd when the show was over, but something wasn't right tonight. Taylor looked at his younger brother and band mate Zac for reassurance. Zac just shrugged.

"Tay, come up here for a second. I have something to tell you," Ike put his guitar down and put his arm around Taylor, "Now, everyone knows Taylor loves to give back and loves to be the center of attention at times, right?" The crowd went wild and applauded.

"Well, last week, on the bus, Taylor was in the backroom, singing some random song into a mirror. I got it on tape." Ike started to laugh and turn to his brother, to see the reaction. Taylor's face dropped, not prepared for what was about to be announced. Normally, the band always played practical jokes on each other, but for some reason, this didn't seem right.

"And I sent that tape to a little show called The Diva Off!. I also sent a little application as to why Taylor was perfect for this. Well, they have accepted it and you will be one of the top 15 contenders on the show!" Once again, the crowd went wild and lights started flashing as Taylor just stood there, astonished at the news. This wasn't what he thought was going to happen. Parts of him were surprised about this joke and other parts of him were angry. "So, everyone, tune into the Diva Off to catch Taylor as he competes for the top Diva prize!"

Taylor turned to Zac and motioned for him to come down from his drum kit and take the bow. With Zac in the middle, the three brothers took their bow, waved to the crowd and walked off stage. Taylor went straight to the dressing room and slammed the door. Could this be real? Did Ike really set him up like this?

The door opened and Ike walked in, towel around his neck. He took a seat on the ripped couch and just looked at Taylor.

"What the hell were you thinking? Is this some kind of joke? How could you just tape me and send in for some dumb television show like that without telling me first?" Taylor never really yelled much, but when he did, no one could stop him. He was mad. He was angry. He felt betrayed by his own brother.

"Look, I'm sorry. But this is a pretty cool thing. I mean, a show where 'diva's can compete and sing. The top prize is $25,000 and a record deal. Come on, it's a chance for our band to get out there. And I mean, you do have your moments at times…."

"Are you serious right now? We have a record deal. If I'm not mistaken, we own our own company! And remember when I went out on my own, nothing came of it. How could you do this? And I am not a diva! Sure, I tend to get a little out there with things, but its because I'm passionate about my music." Taylor was floored. This wasn't just some random practical joke, this was pure madness.

"Relax. Just go and have fun. You'll be on television. You'll get to inspire fellow 'divas'. You may even surprise yourself. I know your passionate about your music. We all are. But this is something different for you to do. Trust me, it will be great," Ike placed his hand on Taylor's shoulder, "We have a few months off before we tour overseas. Go. Take a vacation. Get out there."

"A vacation huh? So what is my goal on the show anyways?" Taylor sat on the couch and crossed his legs. The idea was sounding a little bit better. He did need a small vacation. But the idea of spending a vacation with whiney pop divas and country stars wasn't sounding too promising. Maybe he could be a mentor on the show while still competing. That could work.

"Well, the money would be great. We could use it for the Take The Walk campaign. The record deal you don't need. But its great exposure and you can back out anytime." The offer did sound rather worth the taking. If he didn't want to be there anymore, he'd back out. Simple as that.

"When do I leave?" They started walking out to the busses, where their adoring fans were waiting for them to do the typical autograph signings. Normally, Taylor never did them. He liked to go straight to the bus and go right to sleep. But not tonight. Tonight was different because he was sure that his fans wanted to know about his new project.

"You leave for Los Angeles on Friday. Look, I am really sorry. I thought this would be fun for you."

"It's cool. Don't worry about it. Let's just get through tonight." Taylor smiled a half smile and walked over to his fans and let them flood around him, just like any other night of his life.

The bus was traveling along the highway noisily making its way back to Oklahoma the following morning. Taylor was in his bunk looking through one of his many cameras at the pictures of the tour he took recently. Besides his passion for all things music, he liked taking pictures. The way the light captured his subjects was just illuminating. It almost was like capturing the souls of his objects, but in a good way.

After he was done reviewing the pictures, he began to think about what Ike was talking about the day before. Maybe this whole 'diva' thing wasn't such a bad idea. It was like the practical joke that didn't go as planned. His brother was right; Taylor sometimes went into his own version of a 'diva' mode whenever things didn't go as planned. His brothers knew when to stop talking to him during these said moments and just let Taylor be himself. But he had his reasons to. Sometimes people didn't always listen to what he had to say or never seemed to care. He had a lot to say about certain things such as charities and his music, but his brothers always made things a joke. So when they'd make these jokes, Taylor carried out his little hissy fits or pouted whichever came first and was easiest. If he was to do this, there were going to be some ground rules.

Taylor tossed his camera onto the bed, got up, and walked through the tiny 'hallway' that the bus had. His brothers were off doing their own things: Zac was playing the new Xbox game and Ike was answering the website's forums. Taylor grabbed a bottle of orange juice from the fridge and sat next to Ike. Ike stopped what he was doing and turned to his brother.

"What's up?" Ike asked.

"I want you guys to hear me out. If I do this whole 'Diva Off' television show thing, there has to be some rules, ok?"

"Ok, what are they?"

"Well, for starters, I'm not there to win what-so-ever. We have a record company and we're doing fine. Sure, the money would be great for Take The Walk and everything, but I am not there to steal someone's chance of their dream coming true. I will give it, let's say, for me to make the top six and then I'll back out. If I make it that far. We'll make up a story or something. Another thing, no one, and I mean no one, not even the fans, need to know why I'm there. They do not need to know that I'm just there for fun and for 'exposure' if that's what you want to call it. Does that sound like a plan?" Taylor finished his orange juice and looked at his brothers. Zac turned to him and nodded. Ike just sat there, arms folded, as if to ponder what Taylor had just told him.

"Fine. And I really am sorry for doing this. I actually didn't think they'd pick you."

"You so owe me." Taylor tossed the bottle in the trash and went back to his bunk, "Owe me big brother!"

**The Screaming Girl with the Big Envelope**

**(Rachel Berry's Story)**

New York City

Off-Broadway Theater

3:00 pm

Wednesday.

Rachel got off the 321 subway and hurried to the off-Broadway building where Kurt was rehearsing his show. The afternoon air in New York was getting stuffy after the fact that everyone was coming home from their jobs in the city. But for Rachel, the morning had been a huge blur and very exciting.

After her final morning class of English Lit, she hurried to the dorm mailroom, hoping to find some sort of good news from the DIVA OFF! producers. Rushing around the campus aimlessly and out of breath, with her red beret almost falling off her head, she had found her box and turned the key into the lock. Inside, she had found 4 random letters from her friends from high school (which she was going to read later), and a large manila envelope. THE envelope that she had been waiting for, the whole entire day. Looking around the mail room, she noticed that not a lot of people were around, so she had done what she normally would do: started to scream with excitement. Jumping up and down, with the envelope in hand, she let out the wildest scream she could. After about 3 full minutes of screaming, Rachel had stopped, sheepishly smiled at the random people who were staring and walked out of the mail room. She ripped it open and read the bright white sheet of paper:

_Ms. Rachel B. Berry,_

_We are so happy to inform you that not only was your audition tape spectacular but also the ticket into the new season of THE DIVA OFF!. You will not need to audition again, for we found your tape inspiring and your letter very 'diva-licious'. You will be joining 14 other contestants in a mansion in Hollywood, CA, for a chance to be the ultimate DIVA as well as win a recording contract and $25, 000. Also, there will be camera's following you, catching every diva move you make. So just be your normal 'diva' self. See you in CA!_

Also inside was a plane ticket, directions to the house, and a show manual. Could this really be happening? Had she made it on the show? She had to tell Kurt all about it!

That happened this morning. Now she was on her way to see Kurt and tell him her big news. She hurried up the stairs to the second floor rehearsal space and saw a bunch of random college guys rehearsing. Kurt, in one of his random fashion creations, was in front of the group, directing the musical number. Rachel tapped on the glass to get Kurt's attention. He waved and motioned for her to come into the room. Sitting in the corner, Rachel noticed Blaine Anderson, Kurt's boyfriend, reading the script.

"Hey, Blaine! How are you?" Rachel hugged Blaine, and sat next to him. The last time Blaine had done anything remotely on Broadway was McKinley High's own West Side Story, where he played Tony, opposite of Rachel's lead Maria, of course. Blaine Anderson graced McKinley High with his presence during Kurt and Rachel's senior year after leaving his beloved Dalton Academy. He was part of the Warblers, an all-guy acapella Glee club that always wanted to beat New Directions. It wasn't until Kurt left McKinley to be a part of the Warblers that got everyone in New Directions to consider how much they needed Kurt and how much they couldn't win without him. Finally, after much persuasion and begging, Kurt left Dalton and joined his fellow Glee clubbers to Nationals, to have them…lose. When Blaine joined New Directions, everything was thrown out of orbit, yet everyone got through the touch parts of becoming a team, and they graduated and moved on with their lives. Only Rachel, Kurt, and Blaine were the ones to leave Lima and take on New York, full force.

"Hey Rachel. Why do you look so happy for?" Blaine put down the script and turned to Rachel, noticing her beaming grin. He was cast as a guest in Kurt's musical, playing the role of Roger in RENT. He was a freshman at the university and it was quite an honor to be part of such a big project like this one.

"I can't tell you, yet. Not until Kurt's done with rehearsal," Rachel tugged at her beret and held onto the envelope she so desperately had waited for all week, "So, how's the musical going? I really can't picture RENT being done by all guys, but I guess if Kurt has a vision, he has a vision."

"It's going really well actually. Kurt's amazing at what he does whether it'd be singing, or directing or…being a fashionista." Blaine laughed and pointed at Kurt. Sure enough, Kurt was the ultimate fashionista, especially today. Wearing his signature skinny jeans and leopard print sweater, Kurt looked rather amazing. Sometimes Rachel even wondered if Kurt snuck into her dorm at night and stole her clothes.

Rachel and Blaine sat together looking at the script as Kurt wrapped up the rest of the rehearsal, and walked over to Rachel and Blaine. Grabbing Blaine's hand, he helped him up and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks for the help, Kurt," Rachel laughed, standing up and brushed her red skirt, "Everything, the play, looks amazing."

"Oh stop Rachel. It's more than amazing. It's spectacular. So, what's this big news you wanted to share. I got your text this morning. All 30 of them." Kurt laughed, and the three of them headed out the door.

"Well, you're looking at the newest contestant of the DIVA OFF! I MADE IT!" Rachel couldn't contain her excitement any longer, "I got the letter this morning and now I'm officially known as the "screaming girl with the big envelope" to everyone in the mail room. I leave Friday morning!"

"Oh my goodness, Rach! That's amazing! I knew you could do it!" Kurt hugged her and they jumped up and down like kids at Christmas. Blaine, however, just stood there, confused.

"What is this, DIVA OFF?"

"Oh, Blaine, Blaine, Blaine. Honey, The DIVA OFF! is a reality show where divas compete for prizes and also it's a reality show to show people true diva styles. You've never heard of it?" The trio walked out of the building and headed to a small café for lunch. Rachel could feel her stomach growl as they walked. She hadn't eaten all day due to her excitement the previous hours. They approached the café and entered. Rachel could smell the delightful smells of the various soups and sandwiches that were waiting for them. That was one perk about living in New York, the mass amounts of different assortments of delis, diners and restaurants. Some days, you could find yourself craving pizza and there would be a pizza truck on every street corner. Or if you preferred something else, like a deli style sandwich, a nice diner with a checkered tablecloth was the best option.

"No. My roommate doesn't really 'believe' in television, so I'm completely out of the pop culture scene. But congratulations on the win, Rachel." The waitress came around, took their orders and said she'd return in a few minutes. This was nice for a change, for Rachel. Normally, she'd be stuck inside her dorm room doing her homework or in the theater practicing. She usually never had any time for fun anymore. She rarely saw Kurt and Blaine, and when she did it was either in rehearsal rooms or when she needed help in a certain subject. With Spring Break coming up on Friday, it was going to be good for her to get away as well as compete. The waitress returned with their orders and they began to indulge in simple sandwiches and milk shakes.

"Thank you Blaine," Rachel sipped her strawberry milkshake, "I'm so excited. And a little nervous. I mean, can you believe it? They picked me. Me, out of probably a million other girls out there. And in the letter, it never said I had to audition. That my 'divaness' was 'true talent'."

"Well, whatever you put in your essay and your video sure paid off. When do you leave?" said Kurt.

"Friday. I have to catch my plane early. Which reminds me, Kurt, will you and Blaine see me off at the airport?"

"We'd be happy too. Rachel, I am so proud of you. Really, I am. You will do great." Kurt touched Rachel's hand and smiled.

"Thank you. I knew I could count on you. Now, over the next few days…well actually just tomorrow, we must prepare my wardrobe, my song choices and my game plan. I cannot let any other so called diva out there take my prize. I'm sure Barbara Streisand had all the help from her friends when she needed it. Am I right?"

"Once a diva…Always a diva." Kurt laughed.

**The Mysterious Girl with the Knee-High Plaid Socks in Seat #4 Row H**

**(Taylor's Story)**

New York City

JFK airport

7:00 am

Friday

"Delayed? You have got to be kidding me right now!" It was early and Taylor was crabby. He had to catch an early flight in New York to make it to California in time for the first 'meeting' of the show. Why the show had a pre-taping meeting, he had no idea, but he still had to attend. The flight was going to be delayed until 9 that morning, so he had some time to kill. About 2 hours worth of time. Thankfully for him, the band made a small stop at MTV studios to do a quick Q and A, so he was actually near an airport to catch his flight. He wasn't sure why the band had an impromptu Q and A, but that came with the job. The session was at 5 am, a little early, but MTV had to get it for the early morning show. As Taylor and his brothers left the studio to drop him off at the airport, they discussed their plan.

"You're not going to tell anyone, and I mean anyone about this, alright? No tweets, forum posts, random blogs, FUTYs, nothing. Got it?" Taylor had said as he grabbed his suitcases and bags. He would be staying in Cali for a month, while his brothers lay low before their overseas tour, "I mean it Zac. No random songs about this either."

"We get it! We will not say a word," Ike had said, trying to calm Taylor down.

"Alright. And once I'm like 5th or something, if I make it that far, I'll make up an excuse and back out. This better work or all hell will break lose." Taylor had said and hugged his brothers goodbye, and made his way to the airport entrance. He had walked to his terminal and started to wait.

Looking around, he noticed a few chairs empty by the terminal. Should he sit and plant himself for 2 hours and stare at his computer, secretly mocking the people that post on the band's forums? Or should he go explore the airport and look at pop culture magazines while munching on airport popcorn from the little newsstands? He decided to take the latter. Grabbing his bag and his camera he began his exploration. His first stop on the "Taylor Does The JFK Airport" was a small little newsstand near the terminal. On one wall there were massive amounts of candy, chips, bags of peanuts and random travel objects that one would find very helpful in curbing their hunger or useful if they forgot a tooth brush. On another wall, there were numerous magazines ranging from fashion to cars.

He walked over to the magazine rack and picked up a PEOPLE magazine. The headline read something along the lines of Kim Kardashian and her recent divorce. He laughed and put it back. This is why he never wanted to be in the spotlight. All the rumors that followed celebrities around and all the paparazzi that posted outrageous photos. He was perfectly content on being an indie rocker with seemingly no life. But, since he was going to be on this reality television show, he was bound to get the typical paparazzi and a spot on the rumor mill. He put the magazine down and continued looking around. He was getting hungry. He hadn't eaten anything since the night before so a snack right now would help. He found some poptarts and a generic brand of iced coffee and took it to the register. As he was about to pay, he noticed a strange figure checking into the desk at the terminal. The person had seemed to be causing a huge argument because they were throwing their hands up in the air with such dramatic flair. He paid for his food and wandered over to the terminal to get a better listen. It was a girl, about the age of 20 or so, causing a major disturbance.

"Delayed? How can it be delayed? I need to be in California by one o'clock today! This isn't right. Can you check again?" The girl asked and dropped her bag onto the floor. The contents of her bag fell out of the bag: a few pens, a bag of peanuts, a magazine, an iPod and ear buds, sheet music and a cell phone. The girl looked around and noticed no one offered to help her, so she began picking up her things and went to find an empty seat. She had her cell phone in her hand and seemed to have made a call to anyone who would listen.

Taylor stopped watching and went to sit down. He didn't want to explore anymore. The show in front of him, of the girl causing a huge mess of herself, was rather more interesting. As the girl was fussing and raising her voice in her seat, as if she was talking to herself or the person on the other side of the phone, she caught his eye. He looked away, at his camera, as if to seem more occupied. He didn't want her to know he was staring and secretly enjoying her performance. Gawd, she was such a diva. Maybe she was one of the contestants on the show? Taylor laughed to himself and thought _Wow, this competition is going be interesting…._

Two hours later, Taylor boarded the plane and sat in seat #3 Row B, which was pretty ironic considering one of the lyrics to one of his songs had a "seat #3" in it. He grabbed his iPod and started to listen to some of his random music he kept on there. He was hoping this flight wasn't too long or too boring. He was almost about to shut his eyes, when he saw a flash of pink brush past him and felt someone hit his arm. Hard.

"Holy shit! Ouch!" He exclaimed, tugging off his earphones and looking around to see who hit him. It was that girl again. The one who caused a scene only hours earlier. The girl turned, her long brown ponytail whipping in front of her face. She was wearing a pink and yellow sweater vest, a pink skirt and matching knee high socks. She had a beaming smile and her brown eyes felt warm and kind.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I've just been all over the place this morning. Sort of nervous, you know? Well, I am very sorry for bumping you. Have a good flight." She smiled a stellar smile and went to her seat. Seat #4 Row H to be exact. Not like Taylor was watching her or anything. How could he ever be remotely interested in something like that? She was loud, dressed funny and clearly didn't have her head on straight. But for some reason, he was drawn to her. The way she looked at him and smiled made him feel something he never felt before. He put his headphones back in and tried to shut his eyes again. As he was doing this, he noticed the girl turn from her seat and smile at him again. What was this girl's issue? He gave a small, half wave and smiled a timid smile, and this time really did shut his eyes. Taylor hoped he could catch some sleep on this flight, but all he could dream about was the mysterious girl with the knee-high plaid socks in seat #4 row H.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Hollywood Virgin?**

**(Rachel's Story)**

Hollywood, CA

DIVA OFF studios

3:00 pm

Friday

Since the plane was delayed, the producers, directors, instructors and everyone else involved in the DIVA OFF! show met with the contestants at 3 in their studios on Hollywood Boulevard. This was the first time Rachel had ever been out of state, besides residing in New York of course and it felt great. The air was a lot warmer than New York and a lot sunnier. There were palm trees lining the streets, as if they were sending out sunny, happy thoughts. People were everywhere, some on bikes and rollerblades, while others were walking the sidewalks, window shopping. Rachel smiled to herself and realized that she was due in the studio right about now.

She walked up to the door and walked inside. The limo driver that had picked her up from the airport earlier had told her that he was going to drop off her stuff at the mansion, and then come pick her up when the meeting was over. Rachel was getting nervous, as she looked at all 12 contestants gathering around the room, talking amongst themselves. Some of them looked around her age, and some looked a little older. Some had instruments in their hands such as guitars and drumsticks, while others just had themselves. It was mixed group of hipsters, rappers, and California blondes, all trying to win the top prize of 'diva'.

She walked over to a row of chairs and sat down, scrolling through her phone, hoping Kurt or Blaine had left a 'good luck' text. No such luck. She was out on her own. She rummaged through her bag to find at least something to do in there, when a tall figure stood over her.

"Hi! I'm Constance Mercer! But you can call me Coco if you'd like! Isn't it amazing here! Oh gosh, I'm just so excited!" the girl was overly friendly and overly jittery. Her accent sounded like she was from Texas or Tennessee and she looked the part too with her long blonde hair in a braid, cute dimples when she smiled and tan complexion. She wore a short jean skirt and a pink button down plaid shirt and cowboy boots.

"Hello. I'm Rachel. Nice to meet you. Would you like to sit down?" Rachel moved her bag off the chair next to her and Coco sat down. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all, Rachel thought, as she continued to focus on the rest of the group as Coco was talking on and on about her life in Texas or Tennessee or wherever she was from.

"I've always liked singing. When I was little, I used to sing in the bathtub and in the backyard. I'd even have performances for my stuffed animals. How crazy is that? My Ma and Pa always said I was a natural. The diva side of me however comes from how I always wanted to win at everything. Like this competition. I hope to win. Don't you Rachel?" Rachel was beginning to tune Coco out, when 3men in casual business suits walked into the room and everyone gathered around them.

"Gosh, Rachel! Isn't this exciting?" Coco, squealed, grabbing Rachel's hand and they hurried to hear the men's announcements.

"Hello, everyone and welcome to THE DIVA OFF!" a tall, handsome man in a black suit and purple tie said, "You were chosen out of thousands of contestants to participate in this show. I hope everyone is excited to get started. My name is Chuck and I am the producer of the show. I will be monitoring the camera's inside the house where you will be staying. Remember this show is a singing competition as well as a reality show. Some of you will be voted out, until one of you will be the winner. Along with me there is Baxter, you're singing coach and GQ, you're stylist. The host of the show will not be joining us just yet. Anyone have any questions?"

"I do." A male voice behind Rachel spoke up. Rachel turned around and let out a small gasp. It was the guy from the plane. The dashingly-good looking guy that sat behind her on the plane was in this competition as well. He was looking directly into her eyes, so she looked away, shyly.

"Yes, and you are?" Chuck asked, looking at his paper.

"Taylor. Taylor Hanson. My question is the living situation. Are we going to have roommate or our own rooms?"

"Yes, Mr. Hanson. Welcome. You will all have a roommate, which you will receive at the mansion. Now, anymore questions?" Chuck asked the group and everyone shook their heads. "Ok, now, the limos are outside and waiting for you. We will be heading to the mansion. Let's begin this journey to find our DIVA!"

Everyone followed behind Chuck, with their belongings and headed out to the limos. Rachel turned and looked at Coco, who was twirling a stray strand of blonde hair. For someone so beautiful, Coco, sure wasn't smart.

"Who's Hanson?" Rachel asked Coco, hoping she would know. Rachel was never really into the whole 'pop culture' world that most people lived in, so hearing such a name was foreign to her.

"O.M.G! Hanson? You have never heard of them? They are indie musicians who are like, ahh-mazing. And one of them is here? Competing!" Coco started squealing again, as she got into the limo, followed by Rachel.

"Never heard of them. But, he seems nice." Rachel looked out the window and watched Taylor, who was dressed oddly in skinny jeans, boots and a plain white tee shirt with red suspenders, get into another limo.

"O.M.G. He is so dreamy. I mean, he has a band already, so I wonder why he's in this competition? This is getting more and more exciting! Oh…who's that!" Coco pointed at another contestant, this time it was another guy, but he was much different from Taylor. He had jet black hair that was spiked and the tips were dyed red. He wore a leather jacket and carried around a flaming red colored guitar. There sure were a lot of different people here for the competition and Rachel was getting more and more nervous. Was she really ready for all of this? Her, a 'Hollywood virgin'? Someone who's never been anywhere like this before?

The limos pulled up to a giant, white mansion a little over forty five minutes later. Rachel had nodded off earlier, being so tired from the flight and all, that she hadn't taken in the sights from the car ride. Coco had already gotten out of the limo and started mingling with the other people. Rachel grabbed her things and got out of the limo, nearly bumping into Taylor.

"Watch..oh, it's you. Crazy girl from the plane," Taylor ran his fingers through his shaggy hair and folded his arms.

"I want to apologize for that…" Rachel started to say and Taylor shook his head.  
>"No. You're crazy. Stay away from me. Got it?" He walked off and joined the rest of the group, who were with Chuck, getting information on the house.<p>

"How rude," Rachel muttered and followed him to where Coco was and listened to the instructions. Chuck was telling everyone about the house and was about to show them the many different rooms it provided. Rachel was awestruck. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined living in such an amazing house. There were so many amazing things to look at in such an large house. The front room had six different colored couches, all different sizes, surrounding two coffee tables and a large flat screen television. The décor was modern, with a pop of color, making the place look fun and very hip. There was a main bathroom down one hallway, complete with two showers and four sinks and the color of the bathroom was a bright shade of blue. Across from the bathroom were three large bedrooms, two queen size beds in each. Each bedroom had a different musical theme ranging from pop to jazz to blues. When you left the first three bedrooms, you walked into the kitchen, which was across the main room. There was a large refrigerator stocked with alcohol, food and other random things. The kitchen was a bright shade of yellow, accented with different shades of red, very retro. On the other side of the house were three more large bedrooms with two beds each, another large bathroom, a piano/recording studio and a game room.

Rachel stood for a while and took it all in. It was, by far, unlike anything she had ever seen. In Lima, she lived in a small house with one main bathroom. And now, she was living in the lap of luxury.

"Rachel? You coming?" Coco stood in front of Rachel, with her hands on her hips, clicking her boot heel on the wooden floor.

"Oh, yea. Coming." Rachel followed as the group went outside to take a look at the Olympic size infinity pool and hot tub. There was a cabana area with a bar and grill as well. It was definitely a party area.

Rachel put her bag down and listened to Chuck talk about the show a little bit. This was how it was going to happen: There was going to be cameras following them around the how to capture the ups and downs of friendships and enemies, as well as the contestants recording their demos for the actual show. The actual show part was going to be at the studio, in front a live audience where there would be three judges, voting on the best singer. Chuck described it as "Real World Meets American Idol." It was going to be where people could vote for the 'real' diva and see how they interact with others, as well as how well their 'inner diva' plays out. It was a brilliant idea, Rachel thought to herself, as she looked around at the other contestants. It looked like it was going to be a great group of artists, with a lot of drama. Her eyes caught Taylor's and he walked away. He was someone that Rachel had to look out for. What was the mystery about him, anyways? Rachel shook the thought away and went into the house, with everyone else and picked out her and Coco's room. This was the beginning of what was going to be an interesting adventure.

**A Manhattan, a Non-alcoholic Beer, and a Random Dance.**

**(Taylor's Story)**

Hollywood, CA

The Mansion

7:00 pm

Friday

There was to be a party. A welcoming of some kind for all the contestants, producers, judges and random celebrities to mingle and get to know each other and get ridiculously drunk before the show started filming. Taylor had picked out his room already, the 'rock and roll' room as one would call it, so he was getting ready for the party while everyone else was figuring out sleeping arrangements. As he was putting the finishing touches on his outfit, the guy with the jet black hair walked in.

"Hey, is that bed taken?" the guy said, pointing to the bed by the window.

"No, man. All yours. I'm Taylor," Taylor held out his hand and shook the guys. The new roommate out his guitar down and looked around the room.

"The name is Archer. Nice to meet you." Archer looked around the room and took in the sight, "Interesting choice in room, huh? I'm a sucker for old rock and roll, ever since I was young. That's why I have that guitar. Want to start my own rock band someday. That's why I'm here, you see, to win the money to start my band."

"That's great man. Well, welcome to the competition I guess," Taylor laughed and tossled his thick, blonde hair.

"So, I hear you have a band. Why are you even here then?" Archer sat on the bed and looked directly into Taylor's eyes. It was like Archer knew Taylor's secret or something. Did he? Was he out to sabotage Taylor? Taylor was only there to take time off and maybe get exposure for the band that was it. So what was this guy's intention anyways?

"Thought I'd try something different," Taylor smiled and walked to the door, "Come on, let's party. I hear there's a live DJ and lots of booze. And it's free." Archer laughed and followed Taylor out the door and into the hallway where everyone was gathered around, drinking and laughing. Archer went to go get him and Taylor a drink, while Taylor took in the sights. Music was blasting throughout the house and people were dancing and drinking. There were six girls in the competition, ranging from a blonde country crooner who went by the name of Coco to an opera singer. They were all very beautiful girls and Taylor was beginning to like it in the house. There were executive producers and record managers walking around, getting to know the competitors. Archer came back with a Manhattan for Taylor and sipped his vodka sour.

"Great group of ladies, huh?" Archer said, smiling, "I wonder which one has a little 'diva' inside of them? I bet you that one with the high cowboy boots and mini jean skirt is very, very sassy."

"I bet," Taylor sipped his drink and looked around the room. Something or someone walking to the backyard caught his eye, "Hey, I'll be right back." He headed towards the backyard, dodging dancing people and crazy girls along the way. When he got outside, he figured out who it he had seen. It was the crazy girl from the airport. He downed his drink, grabbed another one, and walked over to where she was sitting. She had changed out of her pink and yellow sweater vest, the pink skirt and the knee high socks and wore a red dress with black boots. Her brown hair was slightly curled and pinned back. He hated to admit it, but the 'crazy' girl was actually beautiful. He let out a sigh and walked over to where she was sitting.

"Can I refresh your drink?" He asked her, taking a seat next to her on the bench she was perched on. Her head shot up and her brown eyes looked deep into Taylor's. Even her eyes were mesmerizing.

"I thought you wanted me to stay away from you?" Rachel said, still looking at him.

"Yea, about that, I'm really sorry."

"You know, you shouldn't go around yelling at people you don't really know. I mean, I know who you are, sort of. Coco told me. Today. But still, you can't just do that."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I was just tired and at the airport, you put on a rather interesting show," he laughed and sipped his drink.

"I was mad! The dumb plane was delayed, alright? I don't like waiting. For anything. Not even for the subway."

"I can see that. I'm Taylor, but you knew that already." Taylor smiled. He was feeling the buzz, because normally he wasn't this nice to a crazy girl he hardly knew. He was so used random fans throwing themselves at him and acting all loony, that one crazy girl in a house full of strangers was nothing.

"I've never heard of you. Or your so-called band, so don't flatter yourself," the girl said, sipping from the bottle she was holding.

"Fair enough. So, why aren't you mingling….what's your name anyways?"

"Rachel Berry. And, I don't know. It's been a real long couple of days and I really don't feel like mingling with people right now. Why aren't you?"

Taylor looked around the backyard as some people were filling in either being drunkenly pushed into the pool or cooking things on the grill. People from California sure knew how to throw a good party. A waiter walked over to Taylor and Rachel and offered them some champagne. Taylor took one too and handed one to Rachel.

"Oh, no thank you. I'm fine with this drink right here," Rachel smiled and held up her bottle. Taylor grabbed the bottle from her and read the label,

"Non-alcoholic beer? You've got to be kidding me," Taylor laughed hysterically, "Who drinks non-alcoholic beer at an LA party? Where there are record executives, managers, and celebrities living it up full force? Take this glass of champagne, I insist." He looked at Rachel to see if she would at least crack a small smile. She turned to Taylor and actually smiled a small smile.

"I'm fine with this. Really. I'm not a big drinker anyways." She grabbed the bottle back from Taylor and took another sip, "But thank you for the offer."

"Suit yourself. More for me then, huh?" Taylor winked at her and downed the champagne. The buzz was coming on more and fast. He was beginning to see stars, and not the human ones, actual light stars, buzzing around his head. People, however, were still lingering around the party. It was getting close to midnight and there were rumors that once the party got in full swing, everything changes. He looked over at Rachel, who was busy looking at her pink iPhone. For someone so beautiful as she was, Rachel sure didn't pay much attention to anything around her. Taylor wondered what her actual story was. Why was she here? He was determined to ask her later, but in the meantime, he saw Coco dancing by the pool. Her beautiful blonde hair was swaying as she danced, her hips shaking to the beat of the music. Coco turned, caught Taylor's eye and motioned for him to come over and join her. What was there to lose? He didn't want to sit and silently sip drink after drink with Rachel. He wanted to have a good time tonight and after a long 3 month tour, he deserved it.

"Well, it was great meeting you, but I'm going to go enjoy myself. Later." Taylor didn't once regret leaving Rachel alone. If she wanted to be boring, that was her call. Taylor walked over to Coco and started to move his hips a little. If anyone knew how to move his hips, it was Taylor. During certain songs at his shows, he'd give a little hip action and the crowd would swoon. He put his hand on Coco's hip and moved to the music. He was definitely feeling the buzz now. Everything around him was starting to become a blur and his head was clouded with irrational thoughts.

After about an hour of dancing and hanging out, Taylor looked to where Rachel had been sitting before and noticed she wasn't there. He looked around the dance floor, hoping to see if she livened up a bit. She was gone. All that was left on the bench was her bottle of empty beer.

"Hey, Coco? Where's Rachel?" Taylor asked, turning Coco to face him. Coco must have been drinking a lot, because her bright green eyes were blood shot and her breath smelled of honey and alcohol.

"Who? Oh, Rachel? I left her on the bench. She was being a bore tonight. Come, let's continue dancing," Coco grabbed Taylor's hand and continued to dance.

"Umm, thanks for the dance Coco, but I'm going to find Rachel. I'll see you in the morning ok?" Taylor pushed his way through the crowd and walked into the mansion, frantically searching for a short, brown haired girl. He didn't have to look for long, because in a swarm of people, he saw a short girl dancing like a spastic jellyfish. He pushed his way through the drunken crowd and grabbed her arm.

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Rachel spun around and giggled. She was actually…drunk. Her eyes were glazed over, her brown hair had lost its curl and she was actually dancing. Dancing in a weird, hobbit sort of way, she was. He wasn't sure whether he should laugh or get her out of there. Rachel looked up at Taylor and bumped her butt onto his knee.

"Oh heeeey Tay! Come on, and dance with meeee…" She whipped her head around and strands of brown hair slapped Taylor in the face. He decided to get her out of there. But before he could, Rachel grabbed his hand and started dancing some random dance that made her look either like a small hobbit or a mental windup doll. Taylor started to move to the music, but changed his clouded mind and faced Rachel.

"Oh, no that's ok, Rach. Come on, let's get you to your room and get you some water," Taylor grabbed Rachel's arm again and pulled her through the crowd. Everyone who was anyone, even music agents, had witnessed Rachel's weird and new behavior.

"What? No! I was just having some fun. You are the one who told me too, correct?" Rachel was stumbling all over the place, trying to hang on to Taylor's arm, "Where are we going? Why is the room spinning?" Taylor led Rachel to her bedroom only to find Coco and Archer tangled up in a cluster of bed sheets. He closed the door right away and led Rachel to his room, which happened to be on the same side of the house as hers. He pushed all the luggage and bags off of his bed and helped Rachel onto the bed. If anything was happening tonight, it was going to end up being Rachel sleeping off her drunk self, while Taylor slept on one of the many couches. Even if Rachel was a very beautiful girl and Taylor felt slightly, keyword being slightly, attracted to her, he didn't want to jeopardize the competition and his reputation. If he had one…yet.

"Rachel, just lay here ok? You'll be fine in the morning," He said, trying to cover her up with the only blanket he could find. This wasn't what he had pictured the first night of the competition turning out to be. He wanted to go finish partying and mingling with producers. He wanted to feel out the main competitors, to see which ones were talented and which ones were there for the sole purpose of their 15 minutes of fame. He did not want to spend it watching over someone he barely knew.

"You know, this was…such a wonderful party. So many people and fruity drinks," Rachel mumbled. She gave a little wave to Taylor and smiled.

"What did you drink anyways?" Taylor asked, before leaving the room.

"One of those drinks, those mad hatter drinks…" Rachel giggled and fell fast asleep. Taylor smiled to himself and muttered,

"A Manhattan. It's called a Manhattan." He silently shut the door and headed back to the party, where he would be up until the wee hours of the morning, living the life he never had before.

**Sunset Striptease**

**(Rachel's Story)**

Hollywood, CA

The mansion and DIVA OFF studios

7:00 am and 3:00 pm

Saturday

The California sun shone through the sheer curtains in the large bedroom that Rachel woke up in the next morning. She didn't know where she was at first or how she had gotten there. The only thing she could remember was dancing some 'twirly bird' dance and then being tucked into bed. Rachel pulled herself in the upright position, feeling all the blood rush to her pounding head. She was still dressed in her red dress from before which was surprising for her considering the many people at the party last night who would probably take advantage of a shy girl like her, but her brown hair had lost its curl, leaving it sticking to her forehead with sweat.

She undid the covers and got of the bed, hoping that no one was awake to see her sneak out of an unknown bedroom. It was her first official day in the house and she didn't want anyone making any assumptions that she was a floozy or one of those random LA girls who ended up in random beds at random parties. She looked around the room that she was in and sniffed. It had to be a guys room, what with all the unpacked clothes on the floor and the drafty smell of aftershave. The room looked different than her and Coco's, with the red and black décor and rock pictures scattered on the walls.

Rachel opened the door and tipped toed out to the kitchen, making her way to the other side of the house, where her room was. No one seemed to be up at this hour and why would they be, it was Saturday morning, no one is up at 7 after a party. As she walked to the kitchen, she heard a shuffle and hid by the wall. Too late, because whoever it was, saw or heard her.

"Rachel? Is that you?" It was Coco's usual shrill voice, but only this morning, it sound groggy and tiring. Rachel crept out from behind the wall. She saw Coco making a cup of tea and looked far worse than Rachel did. Her blonde hair was piled on top of her head and she was wearing what looked like a men's dress shirt and nothing else.

"Coco, are you alright?" Rachel tried to avoid any questions that Coco might have on her mind about Rachel. She watched Coco rub her temples and groan.

"I think I drank way to much last night. I remember dancing and then I took that cute guy with the black hair into our room. He is super cute. We really hit it off. So much fun last night!" Coco smiled a little bit and sipped her tea, "I see you had a very interesting night as well, Berry."

Rachel smiled a half smile and poured herself a cup of tea. Frankly, she couldn't remember much from last night and she was hoping that it would stay that way.

"What do you mean?" She sipped her tea and walked to the living room and sat on the couch. The other contestants must have still been sleeping or well on their way to getting ready for the day. Coco joined her on the couch and Rachel noticed her wearing plaid boy shorts under her shirt. How a girl could get away with that was beyond her, Rachel thought.

"Well, I saw Taylor leading you into his and Archer's room during the party. You didn't look so good. As a matter of fact, you were-"

"Ok, ok, I get it. It was bad. I just don't remember anything at all and I normally don't get like that. Nothing, weird or bad happened, right?"

"Oh, no, no sweetie. He just put you to bed, came out of the room, and began to clean up the place. I tell you, that guy is strange. And I always thought he was the cool one of the group," Coco, got up from the couch and went to the sink to put her mug away, "Hurry up and drink that. We need to be at the studio by ten and it's 8:30. I need all the time to prepare myself."

Rachel laughed and followed Coco to their room where they got dressed and prepared for the day. The limo was to pick them up shortly and take them over to the studio so that Chuck could have everyone sign papers for liability reasons. After she took a nice, long, hot shower to wash away last night sins, Rachel put on her lucky plaid socks, her loafers, a red cardigan over a white sweater, and her pleated skirt. Looking into the mirror, she heard Coco laugh,

"You're not wearing that are you?"

"What? Why not? I like it. It's like my signature look. Besides, what are YOU wearing?" She pointed to Coco's outfit of a short mini shirt and a pink halter.

"This is LA, Berry! Get with the times, the speed, the new age fun!" Coco's southern twang was shrill to the sound and Rachel left the room, laughing,

"Whatever you say, Coco. Let's go!" She grabbed her bag and walked to the main room, where most of the contestants were gathered. She had guessed they had gotten the early memo too, for they were all dressed their finest attire. Rachel checked her iPhone, no new messages. She had been in California for almost two days and no word from Kurt. He must have been busy with his musical, because usually he would call almost every hour.

"Boyfriend didn't check in?" a voice behind her said and she turned around. It was Taylor, his arms folded, dressed in dirty skinny jeans and plaid button down shirt. Why did he have to be so good looking? She shook that thought away.

"No. Uh, my best friend usually checks in," she put her phone away, "Hey, I wanted to say thank you for last night. I mean, not like that, I meant helping me. I mean…"

"Don't worry about it. Shit happens," Taylor walked outside, following the others, leaving Rachel standing there. Coco grabbed Rachel's wrist and led her to one of the limos and they drove off to the studio for further instructions.

The limos had arrived on time at the Diva Off! studios, with Chuck waiting outside with manila folders. Everyone got out of the limos and stood in front of Chuck awaiting their final instructions. The contestants were to fill out numerous pages of paperwork before any production had begun.

"After you are done filling out your paperwork, take a look at this sheet and read the itinerary for today. A list of who you are paired to work with is also present. Thank you and have fun you guys. See you tonight for the first performances of DIVA OFF!" Everyone applauded and separated to look at the lists. The itinerary consisted of rehearsals and performances. But before any singing or performing could happen, the group was to pair off and sight see for a couple of hours, to get a feel of California.

Finishing her paperwork and handing it back to Chuck, Rachel went to look at who she was supposed to sight see with—Taylor Hanson.

"Great, just what I needed today. A Donny Downer…" she looked around the room and noticed Taylor standing next to Archer, talking to another random contestant. He looked up and met her eyes, as if to give her some sort of message. Rachel looked away and went to find Coco.

"Coco, switch partners with me," she ask, a pleading in her voice.

"What? Why? You have the perfect person to work with. Taylor is an amazing songwriter and singer. You guys will have fun. Now, I need to go find my partner. See ya!" Coco gave Rachel a playful hug and skipped away, leaving Rachel alone. Everyone had left the studio, going their separate ways, taking in the sights of California. She saw Taylor walk over to her and she drew in a deep breath,

"So, I guess we're paired together, huh?" she said, moving a piece of loose brown hair from her forehead. This wasn't going to be easy. From the looks of it, Taylor seemed very one sided, kept to himself mostly. He didn't look or seem very fun. But maybe, if she gave it time, he'd come out of his shell more.

"It should be a blast, don't you think?" he smiled mockingly, running his hand through his thick, dirty blonde, shaggy hair. Rachel had to look away and started to walk out of the door.

"Why are you rushing out of here like there's a fire? Slow down. We're supposed to be 'sightseeing', not running a marathon. Relax." Taylor said, trying to catch up with her, "Take in the sights. Are you always this uptight?"

That was it. The final straw that was going to send Rachel over the edge. She spun around and looked Taylor in the eye. Well, sort of in the eye, he was a bit taller than her.

"What is your problem with me? Why are you like this?" Rachel asked, arms folded.

"Like what? If I'm not mistaken, Rachel, you were the one that caused a fit in the airport. You were the one who was oh-so-anti social at the welcoming party until I saved your drunk ass from embarrassment. If anything, I deserve a thank you."

"Are you crazy? I was upset about the plane, and yes I was anti-social at the party. I don't like to prance around the place, drunk out of my mind like Coco. And I said thank you, or did your long hair block your ears from hearing it?" Rachel was beginning to get upset, yet she didn't want to cry. Not in front of Taylor. Not since they were going to be working together for the rest of the day. She started to walk down the street again, ignoring the fact that Taylor was behind her, walking very slowly. She turned around to wait for him when she noticed that he was taking pictures. Rachel walked over to him and looked over his shoulder to see what he was photographing. It was a pair of random street mimes, you could say, acting out a very interesting mimed striptease. Rachel let out a small giggle, but stopped short. Taylor turned and looked at her, smiling,

"Interesting huh? It's like the get so much joy out of performing for random people on the street. This is what we should be seeing today. Not some famous landmarks that everyone goes crazy over. Am I right?" He couldn't have said it any better. Maybe today was going to be a good day after all. She wanted to see things that not many people like her saw and maybe Taylor would be the one to show it her.

"That sounds wonderful. Let's do it. On one condition though."

"What's that?"

"We go to that side of the street and watch the Sunset Striptease. Over on this side just doesn't seem right." And with that, Rachel and Taylor began their sightseeing adventure.


End file.
